Feingold’s Censure: DO SOMETHING
13 March 2006 8:00 am by Taylor Marsh
Feingold's Censure: DO SOMETHING
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| Americans who support censure. Call your senator, email or fax today. |
FEINGOLD: It's an unusual step. It's
a big step, but what the president did by consciously and intentionally violating
the Constitution and laws of this country with this illegal wiretapping, has
to be answered. There can be debate about whether the law should be changed.
There can be debate about how best to fight terrorism. We all believe that
there should be wiretapping in appropriate cases — but the idea that the
president can just make up a law, in violation of his oath of office, has
to be answered.
Senator
Feingold Moves to Censure President Bush
If I had a dime for every time I get asked why aren't the
Democrats doing something?, I'd have that new car I want. We ask all the
time for our leaders in Congress to stand up. We've got two examples on both
sides of this equation, Rockefeller and on the positive end, Senator Russ Feingold.
In the mix, add your average American who is fed up with Bush's
incompetence, the corporate greed running White House, Inc., as well as the
ethics and honesty collapse, and what you've got is a nation hungry for someone
to hold George W. Bush accountable.
BullMoose talks about the “overreach”
possibilities, but I see a more grave danger. Democrats not showing the spine
the censure motion being put forth deserves. After all, we're not talking about
impeachment here, not at all. We're talking about holding the president accountable.
It's not enough to rewrite the law and give President Bush a pass for his illegal, warrantless wiretaps. That's what we're saying, and I'm not
talking the blogosphere, either. I'm talking about the American people, regardless
of party, unless you're part of the president's Kool-Aid crowd.
It doesn't matter where you stand in the political spectrum, because
the non-compliance with the FISA court, with President Bush choosing to make
up laws as he goes along, is not part of our democracy. The only people who
can hold him to account are the people through Congress.
Senator Russ Feingold has started the motion, but he can't do
it alone.
It's truly time to forget about outcome, political maneuvering
and posturing. Thinking about Senator Frist's reaction yesterday, all I can
think of was how weird it was. Talking about our enemies watching? All you needed
was the bwaaaahaaah to create the perfect atmosphere of fear. That's how we got into this situation in the first place. Our leaders in Congress being too afraid to do the right thing.
We need to help Democratic senators do the right thing by offering them what they need most in the current environment: cover. Our leaders are only as strong as we demand they be. It's time to push them as far as we can get them to move.
Our leaders have been afraid for far too long. First it was afraid
of sounding unpatriotic after 9/11. Then it was our leaders being afraid of
what voting against the Iraq war would mean. Now it's afraid of standing up
and being counted on a measure that simply says the president was wrong to illegally
wiretap American citizens, when he's got the FISA court that gives him that power within the law. It continues to be puzzling why a president would choose extra-legal means to do something he could do within the law.
It will take you no time at all to call your senator to tell him
or her how you feel, then ask what they are going to do about Feingold's censure
measure. Be polite, as always, be firm and don't be afraid. Remember, they work
for us.
It's about accountability, finally, at long last, after years of ignoring Congress and taking the presidency somewhere The Founders never intended.
If you are a concerned Republican or independent, please call
your senator. If you have time, faxes
and email addresses are also available.
If you are a Democrat, call your senator, but also call Senator
Harry Reid's office.
Then, no matter who you are, support the courage it took for Senator
Russ Feingold to stand alone. On all these links, sometimes you have to
refresh or try the link again, but they're all working.
We're not asking for a lot, when you think about it. We're asking
for what many people across this country have wanted for months. It's time to
hold President George W. Bush accountable.
Senator Russ Feingold has done what he can do. It's considerable.
It's courageous. The rest is up to you.
